Mincha at the Super Bowl

The most unlikely minyan of all.

The date was January 25, 1998. The place: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego California. An epic match-up between the Green Bay Packers and the Denver Broncos. More than 68,000 spectators in attendance, with another 90 million watching at home on television. Among those seated behind the goalpost at the north end of the stadium were myself, and a young colleague of mine by the name of “Yankel.”

I was then working as the Director of PR and Marketing for an international postal agency. Yankel – only a teenager at the time – had recently been hired to help out in the stockroom. My love for sports, and pro football in particular was well known around my old workplace. Every Monday morning during football season, my corner office would fill with a half-dozen, or so, NFL enthusiasts to recap the weekend’s games. We had a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, a Miami Dolphins die-hard, two Dallas Cowboys rooters, and an assortment of backers for our pair of local teams. Yankel, as I recall, was a New York Jets fan. It would be hard to call him “long-suffering” back then, as he was only 18-years old. However, his passion for the sport, and his knowledge of the game made him a valuable contributor to our Monday morning wrap-ups.

Yankel was a unique young man. He once confided in me that he had been raised by an Aunt and Uncle due to “complicated issues” relating to his biological parents. I also noticed that he would regularly recite kaddish during mincha in our office conference room each weekday afternoon. When I quietly asked him who he was saying it for, he told me matter-of-factly that his “actual father” had recently passed away… a man he barely knew. He had been advised by a rabbi that he was not obligated to observe all aspects of mourning due to these circumstances. Still, he felt the need to say kaddish whenever a minyan was available.

He was offering me a ticket to attend the Super Bowl. I nearly fell backward off my chair.

It was an overcast January Monday morning when Yankel skipped into my office with a grin from ear-to-ear. I’d figured that my young friend had come in to talk about Sunday playoff games from the just-completed weekend. Instead, Yankel closed the door to my room, sat down in the lone chair facing my desk and leaned in to share his big news.

“Hey, Lonnie, what if I told you that I could get us tickets to the Super Bowl?”

Up to this point in my life, I had never attended an NFL game. Tickets to the NY Giants were pretty much locked down by a group of some 70,000 season-ticket holders for decades. The Jets were of no interest to me, even if plenty of good seats were often available. Now, here was this young man that I worked with, offering me a ticket to attend the Super Bowl! I nearly fell backward off my chair.

It turned out that Yankel’s uncle worked for an apparel company in Brooklyn. As an NFL licensee, he received a pair of tickets to the big game each year. But this year, urgent business prevented him from traveling. He offered them to his football-obsessed nephew, providing that Yankel could find a responsible adult to accompany him to San Diego. That “responsible adult” turned out to be me.

I immediately began checking for flights to San Diego. There were none to be had. No hotel rooms either for Super Bowl weekend. A complete sellout. Plan B was to inquire on flights to Los Angeles. A few scattered seats remained open. Next, I called up a friend out in Agoura Hills to determine if he and his wife could host us for Shabbos, then drive us to the Amtrak station early on Sunday morning. Thankfully, the answer was yes on both counts.

Sunset at the Super Bowl

Kick-off occurred around 3:30pm local time. It was a picture-perfect warm and sunny afternoon. Yankel and I watched with excitement as Denver jumped out to a 17 – 14 halftime lead behind the success of star running back, Terrell Davis. A thoroughly entertaining back-and-forth affair.

The halftime show was billed as a 40th anniversary tribute to Motown. Featured performers were to include Boys II Men, Smokey Robinson and the Four Tops. As stages were being rolled into place on the field below, my friend, Yankel suddenly became panicked by a singular detail that we had overlooked.

“Where am I going to find a minyan to say kaddish?”

“The sun is already starting to set. By the time the game is over, it’ll be too late to daven mincha (pray the afternoon service). Where am I going to find a minyan to say kaddish?”

My initial instinct was to dismiss the idea of a minyan and to simply recite mincha on our own in one of the stadium corridors. Yankel was not sold. “There’s got to be ten Jewish men around here in this stadium. Probably more than that. But how do we find them and get them into one place? There’s got to be a way.”

We hurried from our seats to the main concourse, seeking men with yarmulkes. I located one emerging from a men’s room. Yankel couldn’t locate any. He was particularly frustrated by all the baseball caps, and these triangular cheese-head hats worn by the Green Bay contingent.

We strolled the crowded hallways in search for eight additional eligible participants. We passed concession stands, souvenir carts, even a baby-changing station. No luck. And to make matters more difficult, the halftime show was about to begin according to the announcements over the public address system. We were nearly prepared to call it quits when it hit me. The “Lost and Found.” Yankel and I had passed this area only moments before. Now, suddenly, it was our last hope.

A stanchion with red rope led us to a pair of wooden desks, situated in front of a small glass window that resembled a bank-teller station. A pair of stadium security guards sat at each of the desks with arms folded. Only one woman waited ahead of us in line. I turned back to Yankel and urged him to follow my lead. Moments later, one of the uniformed men called out: “Gentlemen, how can I help you?”

This may not have been honest, but it's what I came up with on the spur of the moment. I switched on my most panicked disposition. “Sir, it’s our younger brother. He’s only 12. He wandered off to the bathroom just before halftime. We can’t find him anywhere.”

The security guard pulled out a clipboard, fired off a few questions about the characteristics of our “missing brother,” and scribbled a few notes. Finally he asked: “And by the way, what’s his name?”

“Mincha,” I responded. “Mincha Service.”

“Meen-cha Service?” The man looked up at us with a puzzled expression, repeating the name to make sure he had the correct pronunciation. “Okay, I’m going to have them announce something. Let’s hope he hears it and turns up.”

“Would Meen-Cha Service please report to the lost and found…”

The guard slid a paper to a woman behind the glass window and carefully repeated the name we had provided. Within moments, an announcement rang out throughout the stadium: “Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please. Would Meen-Cha Service please report to the lost and found, located in on the plaza level between gates F and G. That’s Meen-Cha Service.”

To this day, I’m still not sure which aspect of this story surprises me more: The fact that the stadium security actually made the announcement at the Super Bowl, or the incredible, immediate response to our unusual minyan call. Within 90 seconds of the announcement, we had 14 men just outside the Lost & Found ready to daven. One man removed his Cheese-head, revealing a knitted yarmulke with the Green Bay Packers logo stitched in. He pointed the way east and led the service. Soon enough, some 27 men were shuckling back and forth, reciting the shemoneh esrei. Yankel had more than twice the requisite number of men to answer amen to his kaddish.

We recited Aleinu as the muffled strains from the halftime concert commenced. At that moment our friendly security guard stepped out from behind his post. “Sir, did you find your little brother?” he asked me with a look of concern etched on his face.

“Several of them,” Yankel shouted behind his back.

“Yes, thank you,” I replied, flashing a grateful smile. “We never would have found him if you hadn’t made that announcement. Thanks for being so helpful. You really saved the day.”

The final score was Denver 31 – Green Bay 24. But to Yankel, the 27 men who gathered outside the Lost & Found was the most significant number of all.

Featured at Aish.com:

About the Author

Lonnie Ostrow is a public relations, marketing, and web design professional. He presently works as the in-house marketing director, editor and personal assistant at Bradford Enterprises. He lives in Merrick, New York with his wife, Simona and their two daughters. He is a graduate of Adelphi University, Yeshiva University High School (MTA), and of the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach (HALB).

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 37

(17)
Rav Mordy,
June 10, 2014 2:06 PM

Even the Author admits it was dishonest!

Rav Becker,You write that it wasn't the author's intent to fool the security guard, and you take umbrage at my comment that it was. The author himself, Lonnie Ostrow, admits that it wasn't honest! He writes "This may not have been honest, but it's what I came up with on the spur of the moment." That's the author's way of saying it was dishonest, because he couldn't come out and say it outright. We say in Judaism that the ends never justify the means. Making a blessing on a stolen lulav is no mitzvah. Driving to shul to help make a minyan is no mitzvah. I'm not arguing that he had the best intentions, but there was 'gneivas da'as' here, (stealing one's impression of you) which applies to someone who causes someone else to have the wrong impression about what you are asking for or doing. "Gneivas da'as is forbidden by the Torah. You write that it was a Kiddish Hashem. Besides going against the Torah, it wasn't worth the chance of it becoming a Chillul Hashem.

(16)
Rachel,
February 3, 2014 8:42 PM

Runner's minyan

At the NYC Marathon, there used to be a shacharit minyan every year before the race began (I haven't run it in many years so I don't know if it still exists.)ANYWAY: Why doesn't some Jewish group approach the NFL WELL IN ADVANCE about having an area in which spectators can gather to daven?

(15)
Anonymous,
February 3, 2014 11:43 AM

mincha at disney world

many years ago we went down to Disneyworld during my husband's intersession. we came from n.y. and met friends from Israel. (today we live in Israel too.. there was someone who had to say kaddish and thought Disneyworld was close to a shul. he came up to anyone who looked frum (wearing anything on their head) and said 3:45 at the globe or whatever for mincha. at about 3:40 my friend and I saw men from all over the park walking to the spot. we sat on a bench not far away with strong emotion watching all these men coming to make several minyanim. it is a visual sight that I can't forget.

(14)
Michael - Chicago,
February 3, 2014 3:25 AM

Well stated Lonnie

Lonnie - Well done that day. G-d showed you the way. You did not cause any problem. Thanks for sharing that moment.

(13)
Rachel,
February 2, 2014 9:59 PM

What a Kiddush Hashem!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for showing the world how special the Jewish nation is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank G-d!

(12)
Beverly Kurtin,
February 2, 2014 9:40 PM

Ever observe Narrish Yrrab?

Neither has anyone else, however, while in high school, my friend Barry Sherman and I decided to take the day off. Neither of us had ever so much as skipped a class, but to take an ENTIRE day off? So we told our teachers that we had to take off a special Jewish holiday off, it was a holiday that only some Jewish people kept and we had to keep it that year.

Nobody questioned us. So we took that day off! What IS Narrish Yrrab? Basically Sherman's name mixed up and his first name.

Okay, so it wasn't kosher, but it was a wonderful spring day and we just decided to take it off. We expected to get caught the next day, but we didn't. Since there were so few Jewish students, they never checked.

What brought that to mind was Min cha service. Beautiful! What Jew wouldn't know what that was, but of course, women would not be welcome.

One of the reasons I'm a member of a Reform congregation is that women are equal and thus can be part of a minyan. During World War II, with so many men in uniform, it was difficult to get a minyan sometimes, so women were allowed, at times, to be counted.

Being quite young during the war, I don't know what happened or when it happened, but the Reform movement never went back. Although I was raised in the Conservative shuls, I chose to join a Reform shul because it is only five miles from my front door AND here in Texas, shuls can be few and far in-between.

In any case, this was a very moving story which I throughly appreciated.

Happy Narash Yrrab, all!

Daniela,
February 4, 2014 1:38 PM

one correction here

Sorry, but you're wrong that women are not "welcome" in a minyan and therefore are not considered "equal". Wrong on both accounts. Women are absolutely considered equal to men in Orthodox Judaism - they are exempt from being included in a minyan because one of the purposes of a minyan is a corrective measure for the men that women don't need, and because it takes ten men to achieve a level of communication with G-d that a woman can achieve by herself. This is a very often misunderstood concept for a lot of people who are taught by Movement Judaism that everyone should be doing the same things in order to be considered equal. They are grossly misinformed.

ER,
February 4, 2014 5:14 PM

Of course women are welcome!

Women are allowed to daven with a minyan at a discreet distance. But women are not obligated in organized prayer three times a day, and therefore can't help others fulfill the mitzvah by making up a minyan. Women are not obligated in organized prayer three times a day because spiritually, women don't need strict structure to remain focused on Hashem. Rather, women daven whenever and wherever they feel like it, when they want to praise, thank, and request something from Hashem.

Anonymous,
February 4, 2014 8:36 PM

Women & Orthodox Jewish Women

If you are interested in exploring an intelligent, credible Orthodox Jewish view on women, you might like reading Our Bodies, Our Souls: A Jewish Perspective on Feminine Spirituality by Rebbetzin Tzipora Heller. There are various articles on this site so you can scroll down to read a brief description of her. All the best to you, from a fellow (former) Texan :-) Shalom y'all

(11)
Shirley,
February 2, 2014 9:19 PM

finding kindred spirit on a ship

That reminds me of a story that my dad always enjoyed telling. We are Gentiles so far as we know. He was on his way to Europe to help with reconstruction in early 1947. While walking around (he and a friend I think were trying to practise their German) a man called out to them in Yiddish. They got into conversation and Dad immediately brought up that he believed that Israel would be a country. The man reacted with surprise and then invited them to Israel ! Dad said that the man told him he also was going to Europe but he was convinced that he was really heading for Israel. He always said that he believed that the man was probably some bigwig in setting up the Israeli government. I never thought much about the story until I started reading how people felt about a Jewish state and realized how radical it was to say that to a total stranger !

(10)
Fay,
February 2, 2014 6:42 PM

Ends don't justify means

Though you neant well, you aroused the compassion of others for your non-existant brother. They may well have been praying for him. (America is a religious country. Might you have tried the truth?) When we say the Kaddish, we are declaring the grearness of the one whose name is Truth.

Reuven,
February 3, 2014 2:58 PM

Best Case/Worst Case Scenario

One has to analyze this story objectively before judging the participants.

1) The intention of these young men was to engage in a mitzvah.2) The end result was that several Jewish men got to take part in a minyan (otherwise unlikely to have happened).3) At least one mourner got to recite kaddish with a minyan and fulfill an important mitzvah.4) Other than making an announcement, it doesn't sound like the security staff was inconvenienced by this effort. If the minyan took only minutes to form and be completed, the missing person report was not in effect for more than the time it took to davan.

What would have been a worst case scenario? I suppose these two men could have been asked to leave the stadium for filing a false report. The fact that they were willing to risk that in return for gathering a minyan is pretty impressive. It certainly doesn't sound like these men were going to let it get any further than a quick announcement. I imagine that people get separated from each other at sporting events all the time, but are always reunited in the end. Announcements are commonly made at stadiums and arenas. This one happened to bring together enough people to fulfill a mitzvah is spectacular fashion. I don't see how anyone could judge their actions to have been inappropriate.

Anonymous,
February 4, 2014 10:27 PM

Thank you Reuven

Thanks for your intelligent, well written response

(9)
Anonymous,
February 2, 2014 6:12 PM

beautiful!

The unbelievable notion that someone would question this BEAUTIFUL Zach (thing) is ludicrous and a problem with us as Jews today.The fact that Yankel is so careful of keeping the mitzvah of reciting kaddish in mourning, when his Rav paskened he did not have to due to circumstance is Beautiful in it's own right. Really? Do we think the omnipresent is that worried about such little eye yay yay stuff as honesty in this situation? I doubt it and certainly hope not! A wonderful Beautiful story &Mitzvah!

(8)
michal,
February 2, 2014 6:06 PM

Baruch Hashem!

My soul felt chills!! Amazing how am Israel. Responded and responds when service and help call!

(7)
charles richman,
February 2, 2014 4:33 PM

Shachrit in the US ARMY is not the Super Bowl

FUNNY, IN RETROSPECT:I went into the US Army and served more than 8 years as an active duty (4-years) & then a reserve officer (4-years) at first as an artillery execute officer, then an infantry company commander as well as an officer in charge of our Combat Development Command and as a paratrooper. Prior to these assignments I went through Officer Basic Training. During Basic Training there were 41 other officers who were in training in my barrack. Each morning, after washing, I would wake up 40 minutes prior to reveille (morning bugle call to assemble) and lain tefillin. During the fourth week of officer’s training we were required to spend three nights in the field in two-man pup-tents. I weighed 134 pounds and was 5’6’’ tall, my fellow officer trainee, who was not in my barrack (I did not know him, thus he never observed me praying in the morning) was assigned to share the pup-tent with me. He was a large man, about 260 pounds and 6’2” from the hills of West Virginia. He was one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. Now picture this---At the crack of dawn on the first morning, with my back to his cot, I had just finished laining tefillin and placing the Yad and Rosh in my Tallit bag. My large white Tallit still covered my head down to my ankles. My West Virginia tent mate woke up to see an all white form; he jumped out of his cot ran out of the tent yelling, “ghost, ghost, ghost”; and behind him through the camp of 1,200 men I ran after him with my Tallit still on shouting, “It’s me Charlie, It’s me Charlie, I am not a ghost”.

(6)
Yohanon,
February 2, 2014 3:25 PM

Already a minyan

A minyan must be assembled in one room. The stadium stands, albeit "big," constitute "one room"; the minyan already was there - a bit like being on board a ship at sea or an airplane in the air (no need to congregate in one place. CAVEAT: I am not a rabbi and I don't play one on tv.

Bob Rabinoff,
February 2, 2014 5:17 PM

Kavvanah?

They may all be in "one room" but if there's no kavvanah, or even awareness that there's davvenning going on, I don't think it counts as a minyan. Would you really say divrei kedushah with such a minyan?

(5)
Lonnie Ostrow,
February 2, 2014 3:11 PM

In Hindsight...

A reply to those concerned with our improvised mincha at the Super Bowl...

Looking back, I don't think we were disrespectful to the Lost-And-Found security guard. My goal in that improvised moment was to get an announcement made that would bring together enough men for a minyan in a large, public place. This was in a era before smartphones, text messaging and social media. An announcement was likely the only way we were going to gather ten men in a stadium for my friend to say kaddish before sundown. Amazingly, he took the bait and had the announcement made. We certainly didn't have him announce something inappropriate. This wasn't a prank. And truth be told, there were several announcements over the public address system throughout the evening for people to report to various locations. Thankfully, our request brought together more than enough people for mincha.

After our minyan, I was sure to thank the guard for his efforts in finding our "missing brother." We certainly didn't leave this "missing person" case open for very long. Had they refused to make the announcement, I suspect that we would have immediately dropped the request before any man-power was invested in trying to find our "missing" brother. We certainly meant no harm. The end result was truly positive, which was the intention.

Shimmi P.,
February 2, 2014 10:32 PM

A Kiddush Hashem and a Great Memory

All I can say is, G-d bless those people who helped make that minyan at the Super Bowl. This was one of the great Jewish experiences of my life.

I was at the Super Bowl in San Diego and I was standing in line for a Coke when I heard that announcement. I had been waiting 15 minutes, and only 2 people were still in front of me when I heard something about "mincha service" at the lost-and-found. I left my spot and rushed to the section announced. It was incredible. There were over a dozen people already in place. No sidurs, but plenty of folks to answer Amen. I had tears in my eyes as the people kept coming.

I recall that there were actually 2 men saying kaddish at that minyan. Most of us were dressed in football uniforms or shirts and ball caps. It was an amazing Kiddush Hashem. All the more impressive as to how the author managed to pull this off. Thank you for sharing the whole story.

Mendy Bernstein,
February 3, 2014 12:06 AM

It Happened In St. Louis Too

I was at the 2009 All Star Game for Major League Baseball at Busch stadium. During the 5th inning there was an announcement for a missing girl. Her name: "Anita Minyan." I went out to the lost and found area, and sure enough there were about a dozen men readying for maariv. I thought this was totally clever. I didn't realize that this had been done before... at the Super Bowl no less!

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

Chana M.,
February 3, 2014 1:52 AM

Great Story

Everyone at our annual Super Bowl party was talking about this story. It was so clever of these guys to make a minyan that way. It must have been the best halftime ever. A great way to use the resources available to gather people for a minyan in a pinch at the biggest sporting event in the world.

jack,
February 3, 2014 7:07 AM

It's been a while

Lonnie,

Wonderful story that has a very serious ethical question involved. It's been 15 years. Have you ever discussed this with an authority in Jewish law to discuss whether what happened was appropriate or not?

Mordy,
February 3, 2014 11:55 AM

Ask a Rav?

Did you ever ask a rav after the fact whether what was done was proper?

(4)
Mordechai Bulua,
February 2, 2014 1:55 PM

"Meen-ka or Shak-rit"

This story reminded me of a mincha story that happened to me a few months ago. I was waiting at the terminal in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a connecting flight, and had to daven (pray) mincha. The terminal was packed with people (it's the hub for US Airways) and whichever way I walked, I couldn't find a secluded place to daven. Finally, in desperation, I approached one of the many gates, and asked an official in uniform if he knew of a private place where I could pray for 10 minutes. The man looked me up and down and said: Meen-ka or Shak-rit? My mouth dropped. "How do you know?" I asked. "I'm Jewish," he replied. He led me to a back room and said: "Pray for as long as you want to." I couldn't believe it! It was bashert (providential) that I meet probably the only Jew working at the airport. After finishing davening, I returned to me wife and told her the story. She asked me if I knew who the man was. When I said no, she said that she knew his name? When I asked her who, she responded: "Eliyahu HaNavi!" (Elijah the Prophet)

charles richman,
February 2, 2014 4:51 PM

Charlotte, NC

Besides Rabbi Groner's Chabad House in Charlotte there are two other Shuls in Charlotte. They have a kosher market. It is a wonderful Jewish community. I have a son Adam and his family and a step-son Benjamin and his family who live in Charlotte. When you are in Charlotte be sure to join a minyan at the Chabad.

(3)
yehudi pashut,
February 2, 2014 1:31 PM

Dishonesty

While I am happy that you had a large minyan, however, it appears to me that this was achieved via dishonesty and an outright lie about a lost brother.

Is one permitted to do this? Is it recommended? Wasn't there a possibility that it could lead to a chilul Hashem?

Anonymous,
February 2, 2014 3:54 PM

The talmud does not call it dishonesty

The talmud relates a story where a innkeeper was known to ambush his guests who would leave before the crack of dawn and on of the Rabbis outwitted the inkeeoer by says that he was waiting for his brother "meir" before leaving. Upon daylight he left having called daylight his "brother Meir"

Mordy,
February 2, 2014 5:47 PM

Stories not comparable

The rabbi used guile and dishonesty only because he knew the innkeeper was known to ambush his guests and wanted to avoid a similar outcome. He was trying to save himself. How can that be compared to this case? The Code of Jewish Law (Choshen Mishpat 2286) based on the Talmud (Chullin 94a) says explicitly that it is forbidden to deceive anyone with words, Jew or Gentile.

Simcha,
February 3, 2014 6:10 AM

You Miss The Point

B"H,Mr. Ostrow did not mislead the guard, he misled himself. He really was looking for missing brothers. It is my understanding that in early 1998 the word "brother", in addition to it's standard meaning, also was a euphemism for someone of the same background. Here the brothers were all Jews. And they were lost because they would not have dovened mincha. But, B"H, they were found so that they could thank HaShem.

So the story Mr. Ostrow told the guard was indeed true. Twenty-seven lost brothers heard the message and came and helped a brother who needed help. I don't have to quote or argue Gemorrah to understand how righteous Mr. Ostrow's act was.

Mordy,
February 3, 2014 1:48 PM

Simply Amazing!

Wow, twenty seven "brothers" all with the same name! But naw, he never intended to fool the guard. Don't try pulling the wool over our eyes.

Simcha,
February 3, 2014 11:39 PM

Why the Hate?

B'H,Did you even read the story or the comment? A brother does not have to be the son of your mom and dad. It is a common use in English and Hebrew as well as most languages, I suspect. This is done often in the Tanach. And if you read the first line of the comment you might have understood that while Mr. Ostrow may have intended to fool the guard, he really only fooled himself. And considering that 27 men got to doven in a minyan (forgive the transliteration) instead of none, I think it worked out pretty well, even if one guy was wearing a cheese head.

Perhaps instead of trying to tell someone that they committed an avarah, you might consider how the person actually did a mitzvah. The situation is not at all clear cut, so you don't have to tell and keep this man away from sin. Humility is a wonderful thing. Let HaShem do the judging.

Mordy,
February 4, 2014 4:12 PM

Why do you assume I hate?

Simcha, I am looking at this objectively from a halachic viewpoint. Why assume I hate anyone, just because I disagree with their actions? You admit that Mr. Ostrow intended to fool the guard. That's what counts. Have you never heard of the concept of "mitzvah ha'ba'a b'avayrah ayna mitzvah"- that a mitzvah done as a result of a sin is no mitzvah? The Code of Jewish Law (Choshen Mishpat 228:6) based on the Talmud (Chullin 94a) says explicitly that it is forbidden to deceive anyone with words, Jew or Gentile. Don't get me wrong. I think it is wonderful to make a minyan for someone saying kaddish at the Super Bowl. Only, it must be done according to halachic guidelines.

Rav Becker,
February 6, 2014 2:37 PM

Incorrect Judgement of "Intent."

Mordy,With all respect to your opinion, I must take umbrage with your comment about intent. You state that it was the author's intent to fool a security guard. This could not be further from the truth. Mr. Ostrow's "intent" was to perform a mitzvah, and to return the kindness to his friend who had given him the opportunity to attend this special event. If his intent was to play a trick on the security guard and have an inappropriate announcement made, your comment would be valid. However, in this instance, his intent was pure and the result was the fulfillment of a Kiddush Hashem.

(2)
Anonymous,
February 2, 2014 12:02 PM

Love it!

Love this story! It made me laugh and smile; a tear rolled from my eye. Thank you.

Anonymous,
February 2, 2014 3:21 PM

same reaction

I had the same reaction. Beautiful !

(1)
Anonymous,
January 31, 2014 2:27 PM

Champions League Final

I am a Liverpool supporter. I davened maariv at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul in May 2005. Liverpool won the game

I've been striving to get more into spirituality. But it seems that every time I make some progress, I find myself slipping right back to where I started. I'm getting discouraged and feel like a failure. Can you help?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Spiritual slumps are a natural part of spiritual growth. There is a cycle that people go through when at times they feel closer to God and at times more distant. In the words of the Kabbalists, it is "two steps forward and one step back." So although you feel you are slipping, know that this is a natural process. The main thing is to look at your overall progress (over months or years) and be able to see how far you've come!

This is actually God's ingenious way of motivating us further. The sages compare this to teaching a baby how to walk. When the parent is holding on, the baby shrieks with delight and is under the illusion that he knows how to walk. Yet suddenly, when the parent lets go, the child panics, wobbles and may even fall.

At such times when we feel spiritually "down," that is often because God is letting go, giving us the great gift of independence. In some ways, these are the times when we can actually grow the most. For if we can move ourselves just a little bit forward, we truly acquire a level of sanctity that is ours forever.

Here is a practical tool to help pull you out of the doldrums. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about a great principle in spiritual growth: "The external awakens the internal." This means that although we may not experience immediate feelings of closeness to God, eventually, by continuing to conduct ourselves in such a manner, this physical behavior will have an impact on our spiritual selves and will help us succeed. (A similar idea is discussed by psychologists who say: "Smile and you will feel happy.")

That is the power of Torah commandments. Even if we may not feel like giving charity or praying at this particular moment, by having a "mitzvah" obligation to do so, we are in a framework to become inspired. At that point we can infuse that act of charity or prayer with all the meaning and lift it can provide. But if we'd wait until being inspired, we might be waiting a very long time.

May the Almighty bless you with the clarity to see your progress, and may you do so with joy.

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

If you seize too much, you are left with nothing. If you take less, you may retain it (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they were insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. "If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in total loss.

People's bodies are finite, and their actual needs are limited. The endless pursuit for more wealth than they can use is nothing more than an elusive belief that they can live forever (Psalms 49:10).

The one part of us which is indeed infinite is our neshamah (soul), which, being of Divine origin, can crave and achieve infinity and eternity, and such craving is characteristic of spiritual growth.

How strange that we tend to give the body much more than it can possibly handle, and the neshamah so much less than it needs!